Toaster

ABSTRACT

A toaster so designed that when a slice of bread has been toasted, the end of the toasting operation is detected by a toasting detector and a weight is dropped by the motion of the toasting detector, so that a bread carrier frame latching mechanism is released by the dropping force of the weight, whereby the bread carrier frame is returned from a bread toasting or lower position to a bread removing or upper position.

United States Patent Sato et al. 45] F b, 1, 1972 [54] TOASTER [56]References Cited [72] Inventors: Hosei Sato, Nishinomiya; Katsuyuki Nat-UNITED STATES PATENTS sumeda, Shijonawate; Kaichi Murakami Osaka a"ofjapan 2,545,662 3/l95l Huck et al ..99/329 X 2,624,268 1/1953 Horuath..99/329 1 Asslgneer Malsushila Electric Industrial 2,778,902 1/1957Visos ..99/329x Kadoma-shi, Osaka, Japan [22] Filed; Aug. 28, 1970Primary Examiner-Billy J Wilhite pp No 67,960 AttorneyStevens, Davis,M|ller& Mosher ABSTRACT 30 Foe'nA li t' P tDta 1 r lg pp ca on on y a Atoaster so designed that when a slice of bread has been Sept. 2, 1969Japan ..44/7086l toasted, the end of the toasting operation is detectedby a toasting detector and a weight is dropped by the motion of the}J.tS.(gl t ti g d t t so a b d carrier frame l hi g a J mechanism isreleased by the dropping force of the weight, [58] Field oiSearch..99/326, 327, 328, 3235/3333: whereby the bread camel, frame isreturned from a bread toasting or lower position to a bread removing orupper position.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures \I 41 t] 65 l 5 u 3 64 Q 58 i 97 l -3"PATENTED FEB 1 B7? sum ear 4 FIG. 4

PATfiNTED FEB I we saw a or 4 TOASTER The present invention relates to atoaster.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a toaster of the typecomprising a bimetallic element for detecting the temperature in thevicinity of the bread surface, which, for the purpose of obtaining aconstant toasting effect at all times, is so constructed that a weightis dropped by the deflection of the bimetallic element to release avertically movable plate, with a bread carrier frame mounted thereon,from its lower position, the force required for releasing saidvertically movable plate and the force of deflection of said bimetallicelement being dissociated from each other to reduce the reactionreceived by said bimetallic element.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toaster of the characterdescribed above, in which the force to release the weight from itslatched position is uniformalized by making use of the force ofdeflection of said bimetallic element, whereby the toasting degreecontrolling effect of the bimetallic element is enhanced and asatisfactory bread toasting operation can be obtained.

The present invention will be described in detail hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an embodiment of thetoaster according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the toaster, with a side panel thereof removed;

FIG. 3 is a side view similar to FIG. 2 but as viewed from the oppositeside of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view showing in anenlarged scale the right-hand portion of the toaster, with the breadcarrier frame in its lower position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the vertically movable plate and some ofthe fittings thereof of the toaster;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bread toasting degree-adjustingmechanism of the toaster; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating the initialadjustment by the bread-toasting degree-adjusting mechanism of thetoaster.

A framework 1 comprises a base 11 and sideplates 12, 13 extendingvertically from said base 11. Bread toasting heaters 14 are providedbetween the sideplates 12, 13 and above the central bread toastingheater 14 is extended a center plate 15 which constitutes part of theframework 1. The framework 1 is enclosed by an outer casing 2 which iscomposed of an outer central panel 18, with bread insertion slits 16formed therein, and outer side panels 19. The outer casing 2 and theframework 1 define a switch compartment 3, a bimetallic elementcorrecting compartment 4, a bread-toasting compartment 5 and an elevatormechanism compartment 6, which are separated from each other.

The bread-toasting heater 14 provided in the bread-toasting compartment5 consists of an electric heating wire 21 wound around an insulatingplate 20, such as an asbestos plate. The insulating plate is providedwith fitting strips 22, 23 at the upper and lower ends thereof and guiderods 24 are extended vertically with the opposite ends thereof connectedto said fitting strips 22, 23 respectively, which serve as guides for aslice of bread when the slice of bread is inserted into the toastingcompartment and carried up and down in said compartment. The insulatingplate 20 is connected to each of the sideplates 12, 13 through thefitting strips 22, 23. The breadtoasting heaters 14 are connected attheir lower ends to a shorting lead plate 25 respectively in parallelrelation.

In the bimetallic element correcting compartment 4 is disposed abread-toasting detector 26, The toasting detector 26, as shown in FIG.4, includes a main bimetal 27 and an auxiliary bimetal 28. An auxiliaryplate 30 with an aperture 29 provided therein is connected to the lowerend of the main bimetal 27, while a bracket 31 is provided at one end ofthe auxiliary bimetal 28, and the upper end of the main bimetal 27 andthe other end of the auxiliary bimetal 28 are fixedly connected to acoupling member 32, As shown in FIG. 4, the auxiliary bimetal 28 ispositioned in the bimetallic element correcting compartment 4, with thecoupling member 32 projecting into the bread-toasting compartment 5through a slit 33 formed in the center plate 15, and the main bimetal 27is positioned adjacent a plane including the guide rods 24 arranged inspaced relation. A pushing rod 35 having a stepped portion 34 formed atone end portion thereof for engagement with the auxiliary plate 30 isextended through the aperture 29 formed in said auxiliary plate 30, andthe other end thereof is extended into the elevator mechanismcompartment 6 through an aperture (not shown) formed in the sideplate13.

In the switch compartment 3 is provided a switch element 36 which ismounted on the base 11. The switch element 36 comprises a switchbaseplate 37 and a pair of contact plates 40, 41 connected to each sideof said switch baseplate 37, said contact plates 40, 41 being providedthereon with contacts 38, 39 respectively. Power cord connectingterminal plates 42, 42 and feeder lead plates 43, 44 are connected tothe connected ends of the respective contact plates 40, 40 and a powercord 17 is connected to the power cord connecting terminal plates 42.The feeder lead plates 43, 44 are extended through a through-hole (notshown) formed in the side plate 12 and connected to a shorting leadplate 25.

In the elevator mechanism compartment 6 is disposed a guide post 46which has the upper end connected to an extension 45 formed at the upperedge of the sideplate 13, with the lower end connected to the base 11. Avertically movable plate 47 is slidably mounted on the guide post 46,with said guide post 46 extending through holes formed in arms 48, 49 atthe upper and lower ends of said vertically movable plate 47, as shownin FIG. 5. A disc-shaped weight 50 is slidably mounted on the guide post46 between the arms 48, 49 of the vertically movable plate 47. Thisweight 50, as will be described later, serves to release the verticallymovable plate 47 from its lower position when it is dropped uponcompletion of the toasting operation. Bread carrier frames 51 aresecured to the vertically movable plate 47 by means of rivets 52. Thebread carrier frames 51 extend into the bread-toasting compartment 5through slits 53 formed in the sideplate 13 and further extend into theswitch compartment 3 through slits 54 formed in the opposite sideplate12. Switch pushing members 55, consisting of an insulating material,such as ceramics, resin or the like, are each provided at the free endof each arm of the bread carrier frames 51, and are each held inposition by a stopper 56 formed at said free end. A spring 57 isextended between the vertically movable plate 47 and the upper edge ofthe sideplate 13, so as to constantly bias said vertically movable plate47 upwardly. The vertically movable plate 47 also has a hook lever 58and a manual operation lever 65 pivotally connected thereto. The hooklever 58 has formed at one end thereof with a hook 59 which is adaptedto engage a latch 74 of a bread-toasting degree-adjusting mechanism 73to be described later, to hold the vertically movable plate 47 in itslower position. The other end of the hook lever 59 is formed withbifurcated arms 60, 61. The arm 60 is positioned inside the verticallymovable plate 47 and serves to support the weight 50 and also to limit aclockwise rotation, as viewed in FIG. 3, of the vertically movable plate47 by engagement with the arm 49 of said vertically movable plate. Theother arm 61 extends outwardly through a rectangular hole 62 formed inthe vertically movable plate 47, and a spring 63 is extended betweensaid arm 61 and an arm of said vertically movable plate 47 to bias thehook lever 58 to rotate in a counter clockwise direction. Thecounterclockwise rotation of the hook lever 58 is limited by theengagement between the arm 61 and the upper edge of the hole 62. Themanual operation lever 65 is pivotally connected at its central portionto the vertically movable plate 47 by a pivot pin 68, with one end 66thereof extending into the inside of said vertically movable platethrough a hole 67 for engagement with an intermediate portion of thehook lever 58 between the arms 60, 61 and a pivot pin 64 by which saidhook lever is pivotally connected to said vertically movable plate 47,to rotate said hook lever 58 against the biasing force of the spring 63.The other end 69 of the manual operation lever 65 is extended outwardlyof the outer casing 2 through a slit 70 formed in said outer casing, andprovided with a knob 71. When the knob 71 is pushed downward, thevertically movable plate 47 is lowered and the hook 59 of the hook lever58 is brought into engagement with a latch 74 of the bread-toastingdegree-adjusting mechanism 73 to hold said vertically movable plate 47in its lower position. If, in this case, the manual operation lever 65rotates in a counterclockwise direction, the vertically movable plate 47cannot be moved downward, but since the rotation of the manual operationlever 65 is limited by the engagement with the upper edge of the hole 67in the vertically movable plate 47, the vertically movable plate 47moves downward smoothly. Where is is desired to move the verticallymovable plate 47 upward by manual operation, the knob 71 is lightlypushed upward, whereby said manual operation lever 65 is rotated in aclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 and pushes the hook lever 58,causing said hook lever to rotate in a clockwise direction, so that thehook 59 is disengaged from the latch 74 and the vertically movable plate47 moves upwardly under the biasing force of the spring 57.

On the base 11 is also provide the bread-toasting degree-adjustingmechanism 73. The bread-toasting degree-adjusting mechanism 73 includesa baseplate 75 which is formed with the latch 74 for engagement with thehook 59 of the hook lever 58, and a first adjusting plate 76 and asecond adjusting plate 77, which are pivotally connected to saidbaseplate 75 by means of a common pivot pin 78. The first adjustingplate 76 and the second adjusting plate 77 are connected by means of abolt 80, and a spring 79 is mounted around said bolt 80 between saidfirst and second adjusting plates 76, 77 so as to bias said plates in anopening direction. The bolt 80, as shown in FIG. 7, is inserted througha nonthreaded hole 81 in the first adjusting plate 76 from the undersideand then threaded through an internally threaded hole 82 in the secondadjusting plate 77. Thus, it will be seen that the first adjusting plate76 is freely movable along the bolt 80 until its movement is limited bythe head of said bolt. The baseplate 75 and the base 11 are formed withholes 83, respectively at locations corresponding to the head of thebolt 80 so that the bolt 80 may be manipulated from the outside throughsaid holes The second adjusting plate 77 has a pressing plate 84pivotally connected thereto by means of a pivot pin 85, and the top endof the pushing plate 84 is opposed by the pushing rod 35 through which asignal from the bread toasting detector 26 is transmitted. Thebread-toasting degree-adjusting mechanism 73 further includes a weightreceiving lever 86 which is pivotally connected to the base plate 75 bythe pivot pin 87. The upper end of the weight receiving lever 86 isformed with a weight receiving portion 88 for receiving the weight 50,while the lower end thereof is provided with a pin 89 and an arm 90. Thepin 89 is adapted to abut against the inside surface of the pressingplate 84. The arm 90 is projected through a hole 91 formed in thebaseplate 75 and a spring 92 is extended between the baseplate 75 andthe arm 90, as shown in FIG. 3, to constantly urge the weight receivinglever 86 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1.The rotation of the weight receiving lever 86 is limited by the hole 91.The spring 92 is anchored to the baseplate 75 at a position 93 which islocated slightly outwardly of the pivot pin 87, so that the weightreceiving lever 86 may be rotated by a weak, substantially constantforce. A leaf spring 94 is interposed between the first adjusting plate76 and the base plate 75 to constantly urge said first adjusting plateto rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. A cam 95is rotatably mounted on an adjusting shaft 96 journaled through thebaseplate 75. The cam 95 is in engagement with the first adjusting plate76, depressing said first adjusting plate 76 against the biasing forceof the leaf spring 94. A spring 97 is provided which is pressureengagement with the adjusting shaft 96 to hold the letter againstrotation. The adjusting shaft 96 is extended outwardly of the outercasing 2 and a knob 98 is mounted on the outwardly projecting endthereof. By manipulating the knob 98, the adjusting shaft 96 is rotatedand a desired degree of toasting can be obtained. Namely, when the knob98 is rotated, the first adjusting plate 76 and the second adjustingplate 77 are rotated integrally. As a result, the position of the pivotpin 85 is displaced about the contacting portion of the pushing plate 84with the pin 89 of the weight receiving lever 86, at the lower end ofsaid pushing plate 84 and thus the interval between the pushing rod 35and the pushing plate 84 is changed, whereby the time when a deflectionof the bread-toasting detector 26 is transmitted to the weight receivinglever 86 is adjusted. The bolt is used to set the toaster at themanufacture 's plant initially in such a manner that the knot 98 ispositioned at the center of its rotational range when the toastingdegree, preferred by the common users, is to be obtained.

Next, the operation of the vertically movable plate 47 and thebread-toasting operation will be described hereunder: First of all, thevertically movable plate 47, provided with the bread carrier frame 51,is lowered by pressing the knob 71 downwardly and held in the lowerposition by the engagement of the hook 59 of the hook lever 58 with thelatch 74 of the bread-toasting degree-adjusting mechanism 73. in thiscase, the switch pushing members 55 at the free end of the bread carrierframe 51 depress the left and right contact plates 40, 40 to close theswitch element 36. Thus, the bread-toasting heaters 14 are energized anda slice of bread on the bread carrier frame 51 is toasted by the heat ofsaid bread-toasting heaters 14. As the toasting of the bread proceeds orthe temperature in the vicinity of the bread rises, the main bimetal 27is deflected. The auxiliary bimetal 28 is also deflected as thetemperature of the outer casing 2 for the framework 1 rises. The pushingrod 35 is moved towards the pushing plate 84 by the total deflection ofthe main and auxiliary bimetals 27, 28, and causes the latter to rotateabout the pivot pin in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 6.As a result of the rotation, the lower end of the pushing plate 84 abutsagainst the pin 89 provided on the weight-receiving lever 86, causingsaid weight-receiving lever 86 to rotate. When the slice of bread hasbeen toasted to a desired degree, the weightreceiving portion 88 of theweight-receiving lever 86 releases the weight 50, allowing the same todrop onto the arm 60 of the hook lever 58. Namely, according to thepresent invention the force required to release the vertically movableplate from its lower position and the force of deflection of thebimetallic element are dissociated from each other, whereby the reactionto be received by the bimetallic element is decreased and uniformalized.When the weight 50 drops, the hook lever 58 rotates against the biasingforce of the spring 63 and the engagement between the hook 59 of saidhook lever 58 and the latch 74 of the baseplate 75 is released, so thatthe vertically movable plate 47 is elevated to its upper position,together with the bread carrier frame 51, under the biasing force of thespring 57. In his case, the weight 50 is also moved upwardly with thevertically movable plate 47, since it rests on the arm 60 of the hooklever 58. In the elevated position of the weight 50, the underside ofsaid weight 50 is located slightly above the weight-receiving portion 88of the weight-receiving lever 86. Thus, the toaster is returned to theoriginal position, preparing for the next cycle of bread-toastingoperation. As will be understood from the foregoing description, thebimetallic element is only required to release the weight 50 and,therefore, the operation thereof becomes substantially constant.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated hereinin terms of a particular embodiment thereof, it is to be understood thatthe concept of the present invention can be applied to any and alltoasters of the type which is so constructed that a weight withheld inits elevated position is released to drop by the operation of abread-toasting control mechanism and a vertically movable plate latchedin its lowered position is released therefrom by the dropping force ofsaid weight and elevated upwardly under a force biasing said verticallymovable plate upwardly.

What we claim is:

1. A toaster comprising a frame defining a bread-toasting compartment,heating means provided in said bread-toasting compartment, switchingmeans to control the current supply to said heating element, verticallymovable means urged upwardly and vertically movable between an upperposition and a lower position, bread-carrying means connected to saidvertically movable means for vertical movement therewith, means forlowering said vertically movable means against the biasing force urgingsaid vertically movable means upwardly, latching means provided in thelower portion of said breadtoasting compartment for holding saidvertically movable means in its lowered position against the biasingforce, a weight provided for free dropping and normally being withheldin the upper portion, bread-toasting controlling means, means forreleasing the withholding force for said weight when the completion ofthe bread-toasting operation has been detected by said bread-toastingcontrolling means, and means for releasing said latching means for saidvertically movable means by the dropping force of said weight and movingsaid vertically movable means to the upper position.

2. A toaster comprising a frame defining a bread-toasting compartment,heating means provided in said bread-toasting compartment, switchingmeans to control the current supply to said heating means, verticallymovable means urged upwardly and vertically movable between an upperposition and a lower position, bread-carrying means connected to saidvertically movable means, an operating lever for lowering saidvertically movable means against the biasing force urging saidvertically movable means upwardly, a hook lever having a hook adapted toengage with a latch provided on said frame and hold said verticallymovable means in its lowered position against said biasing force, aweight withheld in a position above said hook lever for free droppingtherefrom, a weightreceiving lever for latching said weight, a guidepost for guiding said weight in its dropping motion, a bread-toastingcontrol mechanism including said weight-receiving lever and operatingsaid weight-receiving lever when the bread-toasting operation has beencompleted, means for dropping the weight by operating theweight-receiving lever by the operation of said bread-toastingmechanism, and means for releasing the engagement between the hook ofsaid hook lever and said latch by the dropping force of said weight andelevating said vertically movable member.

3. A toaster as defined in claim 2, wherein said hook lever is pivotallyconnected to the vertically movable member and said latch is formed onthe frame.

4. A toaster as defined in claim 2, wherein said hook is formed oneither one of said hook lever and said frame and said latch is formed onthe other one.

5. A toaster as defined in claim 2, wherein said weight is slidablymounted on said guide post and one end of said hook lever is locatedadjacent said guide post, so that said weight may be dropped onto saidhook lever.

6. A toaster as defined in claim 2, wherein said bread-toasting controlmechanism comprises a bimetallic element, a pushing rod for transmittingthe deflection of said bimetallic element, a pushing plate arranged inopposed relation to said pushing rod to be operated thereby, asupporting plate for rotatably supporting said pushing plate, aweight-receiving plate arranged in opposed relation to said pushingplate for receiving said weight, adjusting plates for adjusting theengaging position between said pushing plate and said weightreceivingplate, and adjusting means for adjusting the interval between saidpushing rod and said pushing plate by changing the position of saidsupporting plate.

1. A toaster comprising a frame defining a bread-toasting compartment,heating means provided in said bread-toasting compartment, switchingmeans to control the current supply to said heating element, verticallymovable means urged upwardly and vertically movable between an upperposition and a lower position, bread-carrying means connected to saidvertically movable means for vertical movement therewith, means forlowering said vertically movable means against the biasing force urgingsaid vertically movable means upwardly, latching means provided in thelower portion of said bread-toasting compartment for holding saidvertically movable means in its lowered position against the biasingforce, a weight provided for free dropping and normally being withheldin the upper portion, bread-toasting controlling means, means forreleasing the withholding force for said weight when the completion ofthe bread-toasting operation has been detected by said bread-toastingcontrolling means, and means for releasing said latching means for saidvertically movable means by the dropping force of said weight and movingsaid vertically movable means to the upper position.
 2. A toastercomprising a frame defining a bread-toasting compartment, heating meansprovided in said bread-toasting compartment, switching means to controlthe current supply to said heating means, vertically movable means urgedupwardly and vertically movable between an upper position and a lowerposition, bread-carrying means connected to said vertically movablemeans, an operating lever for lowering said vertically movable meansagainst the biasing force urging said vertically movable means upwardly,a hook lever having a hooK adapted to engage with a latch provided onsaid frame and hold said vertically movable means in its loweredposition against said biasing force, a weight withheld in a positionabove said hook lever for free dropping therefrom, a weight-receivinglever for latching said weight, a guide post for guiding said weight inits dropping motion, a bread-toasting control mechanism including saidweight-receiving lever and operating said weight-receiving lever whenthe bread-toasting operation has been completed, means for dropping theweight by operating the weight-receiving lever by the operation of saidbread-toasting mechanism, and means for releasing the engagement betweenthe hook of said hook lever and said latch by the dropping force of saidweight and elevating said vertically movable member.
 3. A toaster asdefined in claim 2, wherein said hook lever is pivotally connected tothe vertically movable member and said latch is formed on the frame. 4.A toaster as defined in claim 2, wherein said hook is formed on eitherone of said hook lever and said frame and said latch is formed on theother one.
 5. A toaster as defined in claim 2, wherein said weight isslidably mounted on said guide post and one end of said hook lever islocated adjacent said guide post, so that said weight may be droppedonto said hook lever.
 6. A toaster as defined in claim 2, wherein saidbread-toasting control mechanism comprises a bimetallic element, apushing rod for transmitting the deflection of said bimetallic element,a pushing plate arranged in opposed relation to said pushing rod to beoperated thereby, a supporting plate for rotatably supporting saidpushing plate, a weight-receiving plate arranged in opposed relation tosaid pushing plate for receiving said weight, adjusting plates foradjusting the engaging position between said pushing plate and saidweight-receiving plate, and adjusting means for adjusting the intervalbetween said pushing rod and said pushing plate by changing the positionof said supporting plate.